Best Running Backs OF All Time

Anklebreaker702 · Post #1 » by **Anklebreaker702** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:43 pm

In this thread only pick the backs that you saw play. I'm going to start off with my top 5 of all time. They don't necessarily have to be in order. If you need to increase your list to 10 that's cool also. Mine are

1a Walter Payton
1b Eric Dickerson
1c Marcus Allen
1d Barry Sanders
1e LaDanian Tomlinson

These backs really don't need much of an explanation but I'll break it down like this:
If you have the ball on the goal line the ball goes to either Marcus or Walter.

If the line blows a hole open where the back can just run full speed ahead. Eric

If the ball is in the open field with defenders in pursuit LaDanian or Barry.

I know there will be a lot of post for guys like Bo Jackson, Earl Campbell & Emmitt Smith & I can't argue with those guys either but for me Bo & Earl didn't have the longevity & Emmitt was a simular back to Barry & I feel Barry was better. So whoever you choose give your list & why.

LAKESHOW · Post #2 » by **LAKESHOW** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:56 pm

OJ simpson. and its not even close. the first to get to 2000 yards in a season, and he did it in 12 games or somethin lik that.

Post #3 » by **Icness** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:27 pm

Of the guys I actually saw play:
1. Eric Dickerson at his peak.
2. Walter Payton
3. Earl Campbell before the injuries, easily the toughest guy to tackle I ever saw
4. Barry Sanders. If you saw how small he really is, how non-athletically built he is, it makes what he accomplished all the more impressive. He's built like a HS freshman wide receiver.
5. OJ Simpson. I missed his peak but I still remember emulating his high knees. Superb vision.
6. Marshall Faulk for his receiving/open field skills
7. Tomlinson
8. Marcus Allen
9. Bo Jackson for a brief shining moment
10. Emmitt Smith. His record is a testament to his longevity and consistency, not his superior talent.

Post #4 » by **Rooster** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:49 pm

Most of the best have been mentioned, and I don't have a list, but a guy I think bears saying is Jerome Bettis. You want a guy to give the ball when you need a few yards or an endzone punch? That's your man.

Post #5 » by **Da Schwab** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:59 am

Going off who I've seen play:

1. Barry Sanders
2. Marshall Faulk
3. Ladanian Tomlinson
4. Emmitt Smith

There really isn't much more to my generation so far, though Barry was on his downswing (if you can call it that) when I really got into sports.

Triple M · Post #6 » by **Triple M** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 2:39 am

Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
OJ Simpson
Eric Dickerson
Marcus Allen
Earl Campbal
Emmitt Smith
Marshall Faulk
LT
Curtis Martin
Jerome Bettis

Post #7 » by **J.Kim** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 2:52 am

Jim Brown.

I haven't seen too many games, but my god, in the ones that I have... By far the best.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=9dxvgWbZwfo

Unless you mean live via TV instead of Tape or whatever... then probably LdT or tail-end of career Barry Sanders...

Post #8 » by **Icness** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:14 am

J.Kim wrote:Jim Brown.

I haven't seen too many games, but my god, in the ones that I have... By far the best.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=9dxvgWbZwfo

Unless you mean live via TV instead of Tape or whatever... then probably LdT or tail-end of career Barry Sanders...

I was going off the "not on tape but on live TV" thing. Jim Brown is the greatest RB of all time and IMO it's not even close. But he retired 7 years before I was born. He still looks like he could go out and run over some LBs.

Post #9 » by **J.Kim** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:19 am

Icness wrote:
J.Kim wrote:Jim Brown.

I haven't seen too many games, but my god, in the ones that I have... By far the best.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=9dxvgWbZwfo

Unless you mean live via TV instead of Tape or whatever... then probably LdT or tail-end of career Barry Sanders...

I was going off the "not on tape but on live TV" thing. Jim Brown is the greatest RB of all time and IMO it's not even close. But he retired 7 years before I was born. He still looks like he could go out and run over some LBs.

I know... some of those runs in there in that highlight package are just the tip of the iceberg...

It's always that when I flip through NFL Network, if I see a highlight package of Jim Brown or a game that he played in, I end up watching it in its entirety

High 5 · Post #10 » by **High 5** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:16 am

William Andrews is a guy that gets slept on by nearly everyone, but he would have been a Hall of Famer if not for injuries. A healthy Andrews was a monster. Ronnie Lott said the biggest hit of his career was when Andrews trucked him.

Post #11 » by **NO-KG-AI** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:31 am

Barry Sanders is my number 1 without a question, I still remember where I was when he broke 2000 yards, and HOW he broke it.

Some of my other guys I loved, and want to show some love are Marshall Faulk and Thurman Thomas.

Bo Jackson was as good as anyone when he was healthy though, like Adrian Peterson on juice.

Anklebreaker702 · Post #12 » by **Anklebreaker702** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:18 am

LAKESHOW wrote:OJ simpson. and its not even close. the first to get to 2000 yards in a season, and he did it in 12 games or somethin lik that.

It was 14 games, but I didn't see him play

Anklebreaker702 · Post #13 » by **Anklebreaker702** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:20 am

J.Kim wrote:Jim Brown.

I haven't seen too many games, but my god, in the ones that I have... By far the best.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=9dxvgWbZwfo

Unless you mean live via TV instead of Tape or whatever... then probably LdT or tail-end of career Barry Sanders...

Yes that you saw live, no tape

Anklebreaker702 · Post #14 » by **Anklebreaker702** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:22 am

Da Schwab wrote:Going off who I've seen play:

1. Barry Sanders
2. Marshall Faulk
3. Ladanian Tomlinson
4. Emmitt Smith

There really isn't much more to my generation so far, though Barry was on his downswing (if you can call it that) when I really got into sports.

Exactly. He never had 1. The saying was "when is this guy going to start his decline"?

Anklebreaker702 · Post #15 » by **Anklebreaker702** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:28 am

High 5 wrote:William Andrews is a guy that gets slept on by nearly everyone, but he would have been a Hall of Famer if not for injuries. A healthy Andrews was a monster. Ronnie Lott said the biggest hit of his career was when Andrews trucked him.

+1

Anklebreaker702 · Post #16 » by **Anklebreaker702** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:30 am

Triple M wrote:Walter Payton
Barry Sanders
OJ Simpson
Eric Dickerson
Marcus Allen
Earl Campbal
Emmitt Smith
Marshall Faulk
LT
Curtis Martin
Jerome Bettis

Cant argue with this list. What about Chuck Muncie? He's often over looked as well people forget how big & fast he was. A 6' 3" 246 pound Running back that ran a 4.5 40. Only thing stopped him was drugs

Post #17 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 2:55 pm

Rooster wrote:Most of the best have been mentioned, and I don't have a list, but a guy I think bears saying is Jerome Bettis. You want a guy to give the ball when you need a few yards or an endzone punch? That's your man.

If you need a guy to get you from your own 20 to the opponents’ two-yard-line, however…

Post #18 » by **BlackMamba** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:08 pm

barry sanders

CJ_18 · Post #19 » by **CJ_18** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:47 pm

1. Ladainian Tomlinson
2. Adrian Peterson

From what i see, AP is even more talented then Tomlinson, which is very scary.

Anklebreaker702 · Post #20 » by **Anklebreaker702** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 5:41 am

CJ_18 wrote:1. Ladainian Tomlinson
2. Adrian Peterson

From what i see, AP is even more talented then Tomlinson, which is very scary.

Definately the 2 best right now.